The Wanting Of It
It's sad to say, but I kinda hate this fic.
Mainly becuase I'm a vehement non-shipper of Elizabeth/Norrington (being mostly a slash girl and hating the entire character of Elizabeth Swann with a fiery passion), but I got given this for the Norrington Ficathon, so I had to write it. Woe.
But maybe it's not total crap. I did try to make it good....
Title: The Wanting Of It
Author:
misplacedmarble
Fandom: Pirates Of The Caribbean
Characters/Pairing: Elizabeth/Norrington, Jack, Jack-The-Undead-Monkey
Word Count: 794
Rating: PG
Summary: Elizabeth makes an impulsive choice.
Author's Notes: I’m not very pleased with this fic. It sort of…went all weird. Meh. Anyway, this was written for the Norrington Ficathon, for
blondecaddygurl, who wanted Norrington/Elizabeth, Jack Sparrow, and the undead monkey. I hope I’ve delivered the goods. Oh, and set during DMC when Elizabeth and Norrington are on the Pearl for…whatever reason that was again.
Cross Posted:
misplacedmarble,
norribeth,
potc_fic
The Wanting Of It
“Oi! Oi! Come back ‘ere you little-”
Elizabeth watched impassively as Jack ran in zigzags along the deck, arms flailing, yelling obscenities at the chattering monkey that was managing to stay just one step ahead of him at all times.
“Think he’ll ever catch the little devil?” a voice asked idly from somewhere beyond her peripheral vision.
Turning, she caught sight of James Norrington and, as was becoming usual, had to pause for a minute to orientate herself before speaking. She always expected to see the familiar austere figure, resplendent in powdered wig and full Navy regalia, regarding her with a severe expression and, of course, impeccable posture.
This was most emphatically not what she saw now.
The unkempt, dishevelled brown hair, the dirt-streaked face, the ripped and tattered clothes did not sit at all well with the image of Norrington that persistently arose in her mind in her mind whenever she thought of the former commodore.
But the green eyes were as piercing as ever, if not more so, and it was into these Elizabeth found herself looking as she answered his question,
“No. It’s too clever for him,” she smirked.
He smirked back, moving slightly closer to her, hand gliding gently, almost nonchalantly, along the ship’s rail.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Norrington answered, turning his eyes seaward (and, really, there’s no reason, none whatsoever, that she should suddenly feel so bereft), “I think they’re about a match for intelligence. On the subject of looks, however…”
Norrington paused, as if reluctant to finish. Elizabeth, perfect willing to play his little game, raised an eyebrow inquiringly.
“Well…I’m sure Jack has other assets.”
Elizabeth laughed, and the ex-commodore regarded her with a rare, genuine smile, small though it was.
As the sun set on the horizon, their smiles slowly faded until they were merely looking at each other, slowly studying, contemplating in silence this something that had occurred, was occurring, between them.
They had both come too far from the set paths of their lives to go back to the way it once was (or could have been), but neither could see a future that would not break this fragile thing that they both preferred to ignore.
Norrington cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “What do you want from me, Elizabeth?”
A simple question. No emotion behind it, save maybe curiosity, but important all the same.
“I want…”
She trailed off, thinking. In her head a confusion of images flashed and ran together: Jack, swaying and lurching on the deck of his beloved Pearl, grinning and laughing silently. Utterly captivating and mad as a hatter.
Will, staring at her with eyes as large and brown as conkers, all the love he possessed shining out at her in pure devotion. Loyal to a fault.
Norrington - James. As loyal as Will and as fickle as Jack, but somehow something completely different. Beautiful, yet (and she knew he could be, knew it somewhere deep inside as sure as the sky was blue) completely willing to do anything it took to get what he wanted. It was both exciting and frightening and Elizabeth could not believe she had never felt it in him before.
“I want everything,” she announced firmly.
Hopelessly.
“That’s impossible,” he replied sharply, disdainfully, prompting Elizabeth to lift her head and stare. “The man - or,” he added, “Woman who tries to have everything will end up with nothing at all. Trust me,” Norrington finished bitterly.
“Then I want,” she hesitated, taking a deep breath, “I - want-”
It was even a surprise to Elizabeth when she found her lips pressed tightly to the mouth of the man before her.
The kiss was cut painfully short, however, by a series of high-pitched ‘eeks’ and a low, despairing groan coming from directly behind Elizabeth.
Jack’s face then came into view, looking more than a little exasperated, the monkey grinning happily as he clung to the rigging just above the pirate’s head. “Why am I the only man who doesn’t manage to get laid in a crisis?” he said with resigned disbelief. “Well, I suppose there was that one time with the Spaniards, but that girl was ugly as sin, it was only because the captain threatened to cut off my toes and feed them to his parrot…” it was at this point that Elizabeth stopped listening.
“Do you want...?” She gestured to the staircase, leading down to the cabins and store rooms below deck.
Norrington glanced briefly towards Jack, then set about heading silently for the stairs (followed by Elizabeth), leaving Jack to mutter to himself.
“…Oh, and that goat doesn’t count either, they were gonna hang me otherwise, and…”
The monkey chattered back good-naturedly; after all, someone had to humour the poor man.